Karen has over thirty years of work experience in government and non-profits in the areas of social services, human rights, victim services and gender-based violence. In her current role with the provincial government, she oversees justice programs for victims/survivors of crime. Previously, she led service delivery of income and disability assistance with a focus in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. She has a Master of Arts in Conflict Analysis and Management from Royal Roads University.  She is an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction. She is a loyal patron of the VPL and a fierce advocate for public libraries. She lives in East Vancouver on the unceded homelands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) First Nations with her family. She loves dogs, dancing, ocean swimming and cycling.

Committee and Trustee Roles:

• Library Board Chair
• Chair, Community Relations, Planning & Development Committee
• Governance Committee
• Public Libraries InterLINK